Whatever your age, the downside of not being in school anymore is that you usually don’t have as many holidays as you used to. Still, this year, I decided to make the most of summer before it ends and went for a short but great food trip to Singapore.

I think trying local cuisine is always a good way to experience a country’s culture. So during my trip, I made sure to try some of Singapore’s famous delicacies such as the Laksa noodles, Rou Gu Cha and Hainanese Chicken rice.

Singapore is quite small and its public transport system (the MRT) is very well developed which makes sightseeing pretty convenient. In my case, it means that I could just hop on the trains and effortlessly wander from one restaurant to the next!

On the first day, I had laksa and just fell in love with it! Laksa is a spicy soup made from coconut milk and curry and served with noodles. The coconut and curry mix creates a truly unique flavor that you can only find in Singapore and Malaysia’s restaurants. I recommend trying this dish at Toastbox near Bugis Junction or at the Jurassic Park Food Court in Universal Studios: their laksa noodles are so yummy! Be careful though – the laksa at the Jurassic Park Food Court is spicier than the Toastbox version. Spicy but delicious! I ate those noodles at least once a day until the end of my trip.

Another must-have dish in Singapore is Rou Gu Cha. Just picture intensely flavored pork ribs cooked with herbs, garlic, seasoning and served with rice and sliced chili in black soy sauce. The soup is clear and has a subtle ginseng flavor. It’s just heavenly! Try the restaurants near Bugis station to get a taste of this popular dish that is also served for breakfast or as a late-night supper.

Last but not least, I couldn’t leave the city without savoring the local version of the Hainanese Chicken rice – so famous it’s even recommended in most tourist books. Served with chili sauce and pounded ginger, this dish is deceptively simple but the preparation is very complicated. First you need to put garlic, ginger and scallions inside the chicken’s cavity. Then submerge the whole chicken in a large pot of boiling water. When the chicken is ready, it needs to be plunged into ice water before serving. This makes the chicken’s skin smooth and jelly-like. The restaurant located at the Whampoa Hawker Center near Novena station serves mouthwatering Hainanese Chicken rice.

If you are going to visit the amazing city that is Singapore, make sure to try these local delicacies! You won’t be disappointed!

Ciao~

Missy Starla